


bad ideas

by tamajam



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Dream Team are terrible babysitters, Family Dynamics, So of course dadza to the rescue, Tags Are Hard, Tommy is an idiot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:15:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27711241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tamajam/pseuds/tamajam
Summary: In which Tommy's young and agrees to something he shouldn't have, and as per usual, it's up to his family to help him out.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit & Phil Watson, No Romantic Relationship(s), Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit
Comments: 34
Kudos: 517





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this takes place in an au where sleepy bois are a family living near a village where the rest of the cast lives :)  
> ages are shown in the story but for the sake of reference:  
> tommy & tubbo: eight  
> dream and wilbur: thirteen  
> george: fifteen  
> sapnap: twelve  
> phil: adult age idk man

Phil sighed, looking up at the sky through the kitchen window. The sun was still visible through the trees, but it would be setting soon. Techno and Wilbur were in the next room over—he could see them sitting cross-legged on the floor of the living room, Wilbur trying to show the other some new song he'd taught himself. Techno was complaining, of course, as he always did when Wil attempted to teach him something musical, but Phil knew there was a fondness that kept any real bite from his voice. 

Phil had finished cleaning up after dinner; everything was calm. The boys kept themselves occupied, leaving the kitchen empty aside from him and giving him the first spare few minutes to think in a while. Of course he knew he was going to be signing away a lot of his downtime with adopting three kids, but still...he'd forgotten how relaxing it felt to watch the sky without listening to a million questions and settling hundreds of arguments.

It was peaceful.  
_Too peaceful._

...where was Tommy?

The eight year old had joined their little family a few years ago, and that was about the time Phil realized just how much work taking care of children was. He hadn't had a moment's rest since the rambunctious kid became a part of his life, so where was he now?

"Hey, Tech." He called, waving the pink-haired boy over, "Come here for a second."

"Gladly." Techno pushed the guitar back towards Wilbur and stood. Wilbur stuck his tongue out in mock annoyance. Techno rolled his eyes, but there was no malice in his actions.

He walked into the kitchen, hands slipping into the pockets of his pants. His pale pink hair hung messily just past his shoulders, unkempt and unruly. Phil had been trying to get him to let him cut it for the past week or so, but the fourteen year old was adamant about growing it out. He wished he'd at least comb it, though…

"Have you seen Tommy?"

Techno shook his head. "No. Not since lunch. You told him he could go to Tubbo's, he's probably there."

"What's wrong?" Wilbur asked, pushing himself up to his feet. He entered the room as well once he'd propped the guitar carefully against the sofa and leaned against the counter.

"He's not back yet?" Phil frowned. Tommy went to Tubbo's house or vice versa almost every day, but he rarely stayed this long. Maybe he was staying for dinner? Still, the sun was going down… "Did he say anything about staying the night?"

Techno opened his mouth to answer, but Wilbur interrupted.

"Tommy?" He scoffed, "Tubbo's parents hate Tommy. They'd never let him near their house–definitely not inside. Or for the night."

"They hate him? Why do they hate him?" Phil asked, confused but not surprised. He’d never heard that before. Then again, he rarely hung around the village or it's residents longer than he needed to.

Wilbur shrugged. "I dunno. Probably because the first time he met them he was stealing stuff off their cart."

"Of course he was." Phil sighed, but he knew now wasn't the time to worry about that. Tubbo’s parents sold wares in the village near their home, so it made sense. If anything, he could talk to Tommy later. He knew he had a hard time accepting he didn't need to steal anything now that he was living with them, even if it had been three years. 

He sighed, moving on. "Doesn't matter. Ok, do either of you have any idea where he might've ended up?"

Techno stared at him for a moment, then shook his head. Phil had expected that, though–Techno was the least social of the three kids, so it wasn't much of a surprise that he didn't keep up with what the other two were doing in that sense. The only person he'd seen Techno hang out with outside of the family was a boy from the village named Dream, and even then it seemed more like they were constantly about to fight than a real friendship. The boy was just far more entertained by sparring or reading than anything else, and Phil couldn't blame him for that.

Wilbur, however, perked up and nodded. He was the most social, finding it easy to make friends wherever he went. The brunet tended to disappear into the village during the day and come back with one or two local kids. Before Phil had taken in him, he'd been adept at swindling and charming people out of valuables. That still hung around today, though it manifested in the boy's impressive ability to convince other kids to follow him.

"Maybe." He mumbled, brows furrowed in thought, "I was talking to Karl earlier–he's one of those kids who come in with the trader parties when they stop at the village–and he said that Sapnap and Dream and George were going out tonight. Tommy follows Dream around all the time when he's in the village, so maybe he went with them?"

Phil knew those boys. Karl was an unfamiliar name, but Dream, George, and Sapnap he'd heard of before. Dream was the son of the head of the village guard, and George was one of the political leaders' kids. Sapnap just hung around with the other two, but Phil had no idea where he came from. Where could they be going at this time? 

"Going out?" The blond man asked, "Going out where?"

Techno finally decided to join in, stating, "Abandoned village. Heard Dream talkin' about it today. The guards found it and he wanted to see it for himself."

_An abandoned village?_

Nothing Phil himself couldn't handle, and with Techno's impressive combat skills for his age it probably wouldn't be too bad for him, either, but for a bunch of thirteen year olds? And Tommy? That was a death wish–especially if they were going after dark.

"And you think Tommy's with them?" He asked, his voice a little more strained than he meant it to sound. Wilbur and Techno were young, they hardly grasped the danger of this situation. 

The tone of his voice made the mood in the room shift, though. Wilbur stopped leaning so casually against the counter and stood up a little straighter, rubbing his arm, and Techno's gaze shifted around nervously.

"Maybe?" Wil finally mumbled, looking away to avoid eye contact.

_Maybe is close enough to a yes._

Phil sighed, glancing back at the window. The sun was close to setting now, and if he wanted to catch them before they got too far into the woods they'd need to leave now.  
"Okay, Wilbur, you stay here. Tech, grab your sword and meet me out front. We've got to find your brother before he gets himself hurt."

Techno nodded with an odd expression somewhere between concern and excitement and disappeared down the hall towards his bedroom. 

Wilbur, on the other hand, pouted and crossed his arms over his chest. He followed Phil as the man headed for the door. "Why can't I come? You _always_ take Techno with you!"

Phil opened the door and stepped out into the evening sir. "Techno's better with a sword than you are, Wil. And if Tommy comes back, we need someone here to meet him, right?" He shrugged his cloak off, letting it fall against the front steps. His wings stretched out from where he'd had them hidden. It had been a few days since he'd flown anywhere, but at this point searching on foot would take too long. 

"Are you flying there?" Wilbur asked eagerly. 

Phil nodded. "Yes. We're not gonna be able to find him in time if we have to walk. And you know I can't carry you and Techno at the same time–you're both getting too big for that.”

Wilbur seemed about to complain again, but Techno interrupted by slamming the front door open. "I'm ready." He said, though he stopped when he saw Phil's wings extended. His eyes widened a little, and Phil saw the slightest smile tugging at his lips. "We're flyin'?"

Techno liked to fly, Phil knew. He'd been taking the boy on short flights every now and then for years, and there was a kind of excitement that never left. Phil understood–the feeling of flying, of being above everything and everyone–it was a feeling like no other. It was a shame that this flight was out of desperation rather than enjoyment, though.

"Yep. Climb on, we've gotta go now if we're going to find him, and it's already getting dark." Phil bent down, gesturing for Techno to hurry up. The boy didn't hesitate, hopping up and wrapping his arms around Phil's shoulders. Luckily, Techno was on the thinner side for his age, so he could fit relatively comfortably in the space between his wings. It made flying a lot easier than it was with Wilbur, who'd recently started to hit a growth spurt and was a bit too tall and lanky for flights to be comfortable.

"We'll be back before it gets too late, alright, Wil?" 

Wilber nodded, backing up towards the door. "Fine." He hesitated, then added, "Promise you won’t be too long?"

Phil shot him a reassuring smile. Wilbur was the least experienced with adventuring out of the three of them, not counting Tommy. He tended to panic when faced with real battle situations, but what he lacked in combat he made up for in heart. Still, the monsters that roamed after dark freaked him out (not that he’d admit it to anyone but Phil), especially when he was left home alone.  
"I promise. Don't worry, we'll be back before you know it, alright?"

And with a huge beat of his wings, they were off, launched up into the evening sky.

\---

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Tubbo asked, nudging Tommy's shoulder. The two eight year olds walked side by side through the forest, trodding over the long grass and doing their best to keep up with the older boys ahead of them. 

Tommy smiled, nudging him back a little harder. "Yeah! Dream's _thirteen_ , you know, so he knows what he's doing." 

The boy in question glanced back at them when he heard his name, sliding his mask up a little to flash them a smile. The mask was still a little big on him, so when he let it down it fell a little too far and he had to fix it. "Yeah, I do." Dream said confidently, "I heard my dad talking about this place when he got home the other day. S'posed to be _really cool_. Just a little further, I think."

Dream led the group with his two best friends, George and Sapnap, close behind. Tommy had only gotten to come along through begging the green-clad leader, then insisting that he would follow regardless of the answer. Dream had given in pretty quickly, though, considering everyone knew how irritating Tommy could be when he wanted to. Tubbo was just there because Tommy had convinced him, but it was clear in the way he bit his lip that he was starting to regret the choice.

Tubbo glanced up at the sky uneasily. "The sun's going down, though. Mama says that's when the monsters come out, and we're not s'posed to go this far."

"Don't be such a chicken, Tubbo." Sapnap scoffed, shooting the brunet a look, "We're fine. No one even knows we're gone." There was a pause, then a sharp, "You two didn't tell anyone, right?"

"No." Tommy responded, offended that the older boy even felt the need to ask. "Of course not! I'm not a snitch, and neither is Tubbo!"  
Tubbo nodded, but he'd moved a little nearer to the blond and grabbed onto the sleeve of his sweatshirt. Tommy didn't mind–Tubbo was smaller than him, so it made sense that he'd want to stay close by.

"Good." Sapnap grinned, "Me and Dream have swords–" he gestured to the stone swords the two had held in makeshift straps on their backs, and Tommy felt a small pang of jealousy. Phil wouldn't let him get his own real sword until he was older. "–and George has a bow. We'll be fine."

Tommy was confident that no one would come looking for them, anyway. The only people that cared for him were his brothers, and though it wasn't easy, he was sure that he'd acted normal enough to keep them off his trail. He'd begged Techno to spar with him and been denied, he'd listened to Wilbur practice with the cardboard guitar they made, and he'd left out the back door about an hour before dinner time under the lie of going to play with Tubbo. 

From there, all he had to do was meet up with the others at the village square.

And now, here they were. Following Dream and his friends to what Tommy was sure would be the coolest thing he'd ever see.

Silence had fallen over him and Tubbo, though Sapnap and George were bickering up ahead. Tommy didn't like walking without speaking and his feet were starting to hurt from the long trek so he cleared his throat to catch Dream's attention.

"How much further?" He asked, trying not to sound whiny. The last thing he wanted was for the older boys to think he was being a baby.

"Have some patience, Tommy." George said, though he honestly didn't sound all that interested. The brunet scanned the gaps between the trees, then nudged Dream and asked, "Is that it? There, up ahead?"

There was a pause as Dream followed his friend's gaze. Then, a smile and a nod. "Yep. That's it." He glanced back at Tommy and Tubbo, who were still catching up, and gestured for them to hurry up. Tommy did, dragging a still worried looking Tubbo behind him. 

"See?" He said when the two younger boys had reached them, "There it is. A real abandoned village."

Sapnap grinned and elbowed George, who gave an annoyed "hey!" in response. "I told you he was telling the truth." The bandana wearing boy said proudly. 

George rolled his eyes but said nothing. Dream didn't seem to mind, though–he had already started towards the dark structures in the clearing ahead. Tommy followed close behind him, barely resisting the urge to grab onto the sleeve of the older boy's shirt for comfort as they approached. He wasn't _scared_ , of course he wasn't scared, it was just habit. On the few occasions Phil had brought him along on adventures, it was usual for him to hold the older man's hand as a way to both keep him from running off into trouble and as comfort when the sky became too dark.

Not that he needed the comfort. Obviously.

The buildings reminded him of those in the village near Phil's house. There were homes made of wood and stone set around paths of well-trod dirt. The differences were too much to ignore, though. Vines hung from the walls and roofs of homes and moss grew in the cracks of cobblestone. Many were missing doors, and when he peered around he could see the pieces of split wood near the open doorways. Everything was cracked and old. It sent a shiver down his spine, especially now that the sun was really going down.

Still, this was an adventure. Phil always took Techno or Wilbur with him on adventures, but he'd only taken him once–and that wasn't even intentional. They'd just gotten caught a little too far out a little too late. This was his first real chance at seeing something big, and he wasn't going to waste it being nervous.

They'd all spread out for the most part, each going off to examine different spots. Tommy found his interest drawn to the fountain near the center of what he guessed used to be the village square. It was old and cracked, and when he climbed up a few of the mossy stone bricks laying near its base he could see the water below was gross and greyish green. Tubbo, who'd followed him over, stood on his tiptoes to see over the side and frowned.

"Gross." The shorter brunet mumbled. Tommy nodded, wrinkling his nose in disgust. He wondered what it would feel like to fall into that water, and the fear came back. Being stuck down there, in what was probably both cold and slimy water with who knows what at the bottom–he didn't want to risk that. 

The blond pulled away from the fountain's edge. He glanced back over at the older boys. They were exploring, too. George was close by Dream looking over what looked like the type of pen Phil kept cows in, though it was empty and some of the fences were knocked to the ground. Sapnap was looking over a particularly messed up looking house.

"Woah…" Sapnap said in awe, climbing the crumbled stairs leading to the open doorway of one house. He peeked inside, then turned back to them, "It's completely trashed! That's _cool_ –ooh, there's a chest, too!" The boy disappeared into the house, the sounds of a chest being pulled open and someone rummaging through it following.

"Don't take it all! I want some, too!" Tommy called, running over to follow. He stopped at the doorway, though. There was something about going inside an abandoned house in a ruined village in the dark that made crossing the threshold more difficult than it should've been. Instead, he just craned his neck to see what Sapnap was looking at from his spot.

George rolled his eyes, then turned to Dream with his eyebrows raised curiously. "So, what happened here? Did your dad say?"

Tubbo stuck close to Tommy (he was clearly scared, but Tommy still didn't want to admit to anything of the sort, so neither would he), but his curiosity was piqued by that question. The brunet glanced from his position at the bottom of the stairs behind Tommy to watch, hands fidgeting with the sleeves of his too-long hoodie nervously.

Dream placed a torch that he'd brought along for the trip, then leaned against one still-standing wall. The sun had set by now, leaving them in darkness aside from the few torches he'd placed here and there. His sword was in one hand, now, and as Tommy turned to see what his friend was watching, he looked more impressive than ever. In the flickering torchlight, even the too-big mask over the older boy's face didn't do much to hinder his intimidation. 

Dream answered with a shrug. "Dunno. Y'know how dad works with the guards around the village? Keeping mobs away and that kind of thing?"

George nodded. Tommy knew that, too–Dream's dad was one of the higher ups in the group of fighters that protected the village. His dad wasn't _nearly_ as amazing as Phil was, and he scared Tommy, but he was definitely respected. Tommy didn't know as much as he could've since he lived a good ways outside the village with his brothers, but he got the idea.

"Well, some guy came in a few nights ago talking about a zombie _horde_ nearby. A big one, too." Dream paused for dramatic effect, and it worked. Tommy felt his blood run cold and moved closer to Tubbo. A zombie horde? He'd never seen one, but he knew they must be terrifying. George shifted uncomfortably, and even Sapnap paused his search through the chest to listen. 

Dream continued, seemingly encouraged by the suspense he'd created. "They decided to go out and check, make sure that it wasn't going to come near us. They didn't see the horde, but they found this place."

"Zombies got to it, I bet." Sapnap had exited the house now, leaning out the doorway. He looked like he was unbothered by the news, but anyone perceptive enough would see the way his hand hovered nervously near the handle of his sword, "There's no gate or anything–they probably just walked right in and killed everyone."

Tubbo tensed. His hand grabbed Tommy's, and the blond didn't stop him. The idea that they could be standing where an entire village was killed wasn't a good one, and he found himself wishing Phil was there. At least then he'd feel safer. Even Techno or Wilbur would do. 

"You mean… you mean people died here? Right here?" He asked, voice tight despite his attempts to sound as nonchalant as Sapnap.

"Probably." Sapnap nodded, hopping down the steps and standing in front of him. He smirked a little at the fear on the two younger boys' faces–the kind of smirk Wilbur got when he was teasing Tommy about something, the kind of smirk that usually wouldn't bother him much more than brief annoyance but in this situation seemed a lot more threatening. "I mean, how else would you explain it? The horde must've got 'em."

"This isn't fun anymore." Tubbo mumbled, voice shaky, but none of the older boys acknowledged him. Tommy gave his hand a squeeze, but otherwise couldn't do much other than glare childishly at Sapnap for scaring his friend and try to ignore his own fear.

George frowned, kicking a pebble near his foot. "Maybe they just evacuated when they heard the horde coming?" He suggested, glancing around for support. Tommy looked to Dream hopefully, waiting for the masked boy that he respected so much to confirm it, but instead Dream simply shook his head.

"That makes no sense. How would they have heard it coming?" Sapnap asked, tone accusatory.

George rolled his eyes, "I don't know! It was just a thought. Jeez."

There was a beat of silence, then Dream pushed off the wall like an idea had just struck him. Tommy knew he wasn't going to like it before it and even left his mouth.

"Do you think the horde's still close?"

Each of the boys seemed to freeze, caught off guard by the question. Tubbo's grip on his hand tightened but Tommy didn't protest–it was more comforting than irritating, after all. He could see it in the way that Dream held himself, the tilt of his head and the way his hand flexed over the handle of his sword. Beneath the mask, he bet the boy was grinning. 

Yes, Tommy was young, but he was exceptionally observant when it came to body language. It was necessary before Phil found him so he could tell whether someone was going to pity him enough to give him a spare piece of bread, and it was necessary afterwards so he could tell what his family was thinking. Now, he could see the way George fidgeted with his hands, how Tubbo's shoulders raised, how Sapnap's gaze shifted around despite his easy going look as if he was waiting for Dream to say it was a joke.

Finally, Geroge spoke up. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, do you think the horde's still close?" He asked again. He swung the sword up and rested it on his shoulder, "We could find it and kill it! We've all got weapons, right? I bet we could take it out, and then when we go home, dad–I mean everyone will be super impressed."

"Wait, what?!" Tubbo cried, eyes wide, "You can't!"

"Tubbo and I don't have weapons." Tommy interjected, a little louder than he meant to, "What're we supposed to do?"

No one acknowledged him.

"It can't be too far, right? It's only been a few days. I bet we could find them!" Sapnap grinned, and there was something there that confused Tommy. His smile was wide, but a little too wide. Like he was trying to seem into the idea for Dream's sake. Tommy could understand that–he always wanted Techno to think he was cool–but in this situation it just annoyed him. Tubbo looked terrified beside him, and he was more scared than he'd like to admit. 

He wished with a childish passion that his brothers were here. They'd listen to him, even if they didn't let him do as much as Dream and his friends did. 

"We could!" Dream thrust his sword into the air, "I bet they're not even that scary! We've got swords 'n George is awesome with his bow. We could take it out and be heroes! Just like dad!"

"Yeah!" Sapnap mimicked Dream and raised his sword. "Let's do it! Let's be heroes!"

They both looked to George for agreement, but he was looking away.  
"Guys," he muttered, "are you sure this is a good idea? I–"

"Hey!" Tommy interrupted, voice rising with his frustration. The others finally looked at him, though Sapnap seemed annoyed. "Tubbo and I don't have anything to fight with!"

Sapnap rolled his eyes. "You guys just won't fight then. Duh. You're too small, anyway."

That annoyed him. If there was anything he hated more than seeing Tubbo upset by this, it was being called small. 

"I'm not _small!_ I can fight. Just gimme a sword or something, I'll show you!" He yelled, stepping forward. Tubbo held his hand tight, though, keeping him from really approaching the other three.

Dream rolled his eyes, but the mask blocked the others from seeing it. "Come on, Tommy, you can't fight yet. Anyway, I've got another job for you." 

He walked over to the two and crouched down a bit so he was on their level. "You two'll keep watch. Stay in the village, make sure no one comes looking, okay? It's important. If our parents find out before we kill the horde, they'll kill us first, and no one wants that." The masked boy ruffled Tommy's hair, which Tommy stubbornly pulled away from, and stood.

Tommy was about to protest, but he could see how rigid Tubbo was standing and the way his eyes were glued to the floor. And, honestly, he would feel a lot safer if he stayed in the torchlight than going out into the dark woods after a horde of zombies. Still, it was late and something about this plan wasn’t sitting right with him. 

He looked to George, silently hoping the brunet would tell Dream off. George was older, after all, by a whole two years. Dream surely looked up to him to some degree--the two were rarely apart--but he could tell by the way Geroge sighed that he wasn’t going to refuse. Dream was too confident to say no to, George hardly seemed to step away from the guy’s side no matter the decision.

“Fine.” Tommy huffed. He plopped down on the remnants of the cobblestone stairs, then scooted over an inch or two so Tubbo could sit beside him. The brunet let go of his hand, instead opting to mess with the pebbles on the ground. “Fine. No one’s gonna come, anyway.”

“Mhm.” Sapnap hummed dismissively. He turned and walked over to Dream and George, making a circular motion with the tip of his sword. He raised it and pointed the tip at George, then asked, “So? You coming?”

“I--” George glanced between Dream and Sapnap, then shrugged awkwardly, “I guess.”

“Good!” Dream grinned, clapping his friend on the back. "Ok, come on. We've gotta hurry if we wanna catch them, right?" He turned back to Tommy and Tubbo and said, "You two stay here. Okay? Don't leave until we come back."

"Yeah. Don't chicken out, and maybe I'll let you have a share of the loot." Sapnap grinned, significantly more enthusiastically than George, and swung his sword around in a mock of a fighting stance. Dream looped an arm around his shoulders and led them off down the path.

"Shut up." Tommy grumbled, but the trio was already walking away, their footsteps fading with their forms. It was really dark–later than Tommy felt comfortable being out, and he could tell Tubbo felt the same. 

Silence hung over the two for a minute or so, only punctuated by the distant hiss of a spider or a groan from a zombie far off. The torchlight kept the space around them illuminated, but it did little to keep away the thoughts of what might be lurking just out of view. It didn't help that the only three with real weapons had left them behind, and Tommy had no idea how to even get back home without Dream's help. Navigating the woods in daylight was one thing, but in the dark with monsters that could see and hear twice as much as he could? It would be stupid to try. Neither of them were big enough to take on much of anything, so the only option they were left was to sit here and wait.

Finally, Tubbo asked, "Do you think they'll be okay?"

"Huh?"

"Dream and Sapnap and George." Tubbo frowned, fiddling with the grass sprouting through one of the cracks in the stone. "Do you think they'll really find it?"

Tommy hesitated, then shook his head. "No, I don't think so. Phil says zombie hordes are rare, 'cause they're not smart enough to know to go in groups. They prob'ly won't find it." He kicked a pebble by his foot, "They'll be back soon."

Tubbo nodded, but he looked unconvinced. Tommy nudged his shoulder and asked, "Are you okay?"

"'m scared." The brunet said softly, twirling a blade of grass between his fingers, "It's dark. Mama says not to be outside the village when it's dark, because you can't keep the monsters away."

"Yeah, well, we've got torches up, right? So we'll be fine." Tommy reassured, "Everyone knows that monsters don't like torches."

"Yeah, you're right." Tubbo smiled a little, and though it was forced it seemed he'd relaxed at least a small bit. Then, it dropped. "Mama is gonna kill me when I get home."

Tommy laughed, though he knew he shouldn't have. It wasn't funny, not really–it was just something more lighthearted than the fact that they were sitting where an entire village was probably killed while their friends ran off chasing a horde of zombies.

"Phil is probably going to kill me, too. And Wil. And Techno, too." He shrugged. 

"Techno'll beat you up for sure." Tubbo giggled, and Tommy did, too. "But promise you're not gonna get grounded, okay? It's too boring in the village without you."

"Yeah, yeah. Phil won't ground me. He doesn't like doing that." Tommy leaned back against the stone, shifting a little at the way it poked his back. Even through the hoodie he'd chosen to wear today, it was still uncomfortable. 

He opened his mouth to say something else, but the sound was cut short by a louder groan. Tommy snapped to attention, straightening up and staring with narrowed eyes in the direction of the noise. Tubbo froze, following his gaze.

"What was–?"

" _Shh._ " Tommy held his finger to his lips urgently. Tubbo got the message and shut his mouth, but his hold on the blond's hand resumed.

_Please be nothing, please be nothing, please be–_

The groan sounded again. It was closer, and as he squinted to see past the torchlight he saw a shadow moving in the dark. Slow, and stumbling, and certainly not one of the older boys coming back. His mind raced–they were both little, despite him being an inch or two taller than Tubbo, and they probably couldn't kill a zombie without a weapon. Where to hide? Maybe if they were quiet and they crouched behind the wall of the house or something, the thing wouldn't see them? He was about to whisper the idea to the brunet beside him, but then there was another noise.

Another groan, this one higher than the first. Then another, and another. His eyes widened as the beasts finally stepped into the flickering light of the torches, and he felt his heart drop to his stomach and his blood run cold.

One zombie, then two, then three, then four–all moving slowly towards the light, and all with their dark, rotting eyes fixed on his.

_Uh oh._


	2. Chapter 2

_What do I do? What do I do?_

_Oh Gods. What would Phil do? What would Techno do? They'd fight, they'd fight them and win. What do I fight with? How do I keep Tubbo safe?_

Tubbo was pulling at his arm and saying something, but Tommy was far too deep in his thoughts to process it. The zombies were stumbling towards them, arms outstretched and fingers grasping at the air. He could smell them–the aroma of rotting flesh alone was enough to make his stomach swirl. 

"–Tommy! Tommy, _get up!_ " Tubbo's voice finally reached him, and he snapped out of his own head. His friend pulled him to his feet. "We have to _go!_ " 

The brunet dragged him away from the approaching horde. Tommy finally found his footing and ran beside him. He didn't shrug off Tubbo's grip on his arm, mostly because he was full of too much fear and adrenaline to bother. At least this way they were keeping each other upright, because knowing their luck one of them would end up falling without the help.

Zombies weren't all that fast. If he were home, he could simply run inside and lock the door to keep them away. Here, though, that didn't look like an option. The village was too ruined to have any safe shelter that he could spot, and he could already see more figures between the gaps in the buildings. Something clattered nearby, and an arrow whizzed past his face. It was close enough that it grazed his cheek as he turned his head towards the sound. He barely felt the sting over the adrenaline pumping through his veins. It didn't even register in his mind until Tubbo was yanking him back from a second fired arrow.

"What do we do?!" Tubbo cried, his grip so tight Tommy worried he'd break something. "We don't have any weapons!"

"I know that! Just–gimme a second!" Tommy snapped, though it sounded more panicked than hostile. There were so many more monsters than he and Tubbo could handle, especially unarmed. Where to go? What to do?

Where's Dream? His thoughts raced as he looked around for somewhere to hide, Where's George? Where's Sapnap? Are they safe?

Why did he agree to this?

Finally, his eyes landed on something useful.

"There!" He pointed at the fountain in the center of the village. The stone was still cracked and crumbling in places and moss coated most of it in splotches, but it was the least destroyed structure he could see. It was one of those old fashioned wells with posts supporting a stone roof overhead. It looked high enough to be safe, anyway, so if they could make it to the top they could wait until help arrived. "We can climb!"

"Climb?" Tubbo repeated, panicked as if he couldn't believe what was being suggested. He blinked, then, and Tommy could see the gears turning in his head. "Oh! Climb! Good idea!" 

Another arrow flew past them, embedding itself in a crack between two stone bricks on the fountain. Tubbo stumbled back in surprise, but Tommy caught his wrist to keep him from falling.

"Yes! Yes, it's a good idea! Now hurry up and climb!" He whirled around to face the fountain and grabbed the wooden post holding up one corner of the stone roof. The blond gave it a tug to make sure it wasn't too decayed to climb, but it seemed sturdy enough to hold him. Tubbo was already making his way up the adjacent post, moving a bit more awkwardly than Tommy would but making up for it in his panicked speed.

A groan from right behind him sent a shock up his spine. Tommy didn't even take the time to look at his attacker–he just scrambled to get himself off the ground and up onto the post. Once he was a few feet off the ground, he gripped the wood tightly and sent a hard kick at the head of the zombie grasping for him. His foot connected with a crack and the zombie stumbled backwards with a pained hiss. It recovered quickly enough, though, and was reaching out again a few seconds later.

"Tommy! Grab my hand!" Tubbo had already managed to get on top of the stone roof, and he was leaning over it with his hand out. Tommy reached for it and grabbed on tightly. Tubbo strained a bit, but managed to keep himself up and with his help Tommy pulled himself to the top.

The two flopped down in the center of the stone roof, chests heaving. The adrenaline hadn't worn off at all being that the monsters weren't gone, but Tommy was grateful for the second to breathe. 

After a moment, he pushed himself up to a sitting position. Tubbo joined him, and together they peeked over the edge of the roof to survey the scene below.

The zombies had reached the fountain by now and were struggling to reach the pair. They stepped up onto the cobblestone base and slipped on moss or reached up in vain, clawed hands barely scraping the edge of the roof. Spiders hissed and scuttered between buildings or up and down the walls. Tommy especially hated spiders–they were big and hairy and disgusting and the bite alone was enough to terrify him–so he tried not to look at them. Skeletons wandered around nearby as well, a few firing arrows their way but not many came close enough to be worrying.

Tubbo nudged his shoulder stiffly. "What–What do we do, Tommy? We can't go back down, and they'll get us if we stay here."

Tommy looked over at him, prepared to snap at him for pointing out the obvious, but paused when he saw his friend's face. Tubbo looked terrified. His eyes were wide and watery, like he was just barely holding back tears, and his mouth was pressed into a thin line. His usually relaxed and cheerful demeanor was rigid and tense with his hands balled into tight fists.

 _Crybaby_ , Tommy thought out of habit, and immediately felt guilty for thinking it. He was barely holding back tears himself, after all.

He sighed, sitting back. Tubbo mimicked him, their shoulders remaining pressed against each other. 

"I don't know." The blond mumbled, "The only thing we can do, I guess."

He really didn't want to. Tommy was exceptionally prideful for his age, after all, and this would be as good as admitting defeat. Phil wouldn't admit defeat, and neither would Techno. Though, Wilbur probably would. 

Whatever. This was important. 

He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted as loudly as he could, praying that someone was within earshot.

_"Help!"_

-

"Dream, I don't think we're going to find it." George muttered, pushing a low-hanging branch out of his way. The three had been walking for what felt like ages but was probably only a half hour or so. They hadn't encountered anything resembling a horde–a few spiders or skeletons here and there, yeah, and one or two lone zombies, but nothing impressive. They'd taken care of those monsters quickly enough, and whatever thrill came with chasing a horde was quickly starting to die down.

Even Sapnap seemed to be tiring. He yawned, bouncing his sword off the trees they passed as they walked. 

"We can still find it." Dream assured, though beneath his mask his expression was uncertain. His arms ached from swinging his sword to both clear the long grass in their path and to take out the monsters that attacked them. Finding the horde was starting to feel less and less worth it, especially now that the stars were out and monsters lurked in every shadow. George held a torch to illuminate their way, but it only really lit a few feet around them. Not too useful when the darkness of the night was only getting heavier.

"I don't know, man," Sapnap shrugged, glancing back at the way they came, "How far are we gonna go? Are you even sure the horde's still here?"

"Yes! I–" Dream paused, then ducked his head, shoulders slumping. "I don't know."

"Maybe it's gone already." Sapnap suggested, "Or maybe someone else already killed 'em."

George looked up at the sky with brows furrowed in concern. He was just examining the stars, but something he saw made him stop short. A shadow passed overhead, large enough to book out some stars with wings spread wide. He couldn't tell what exactly it was–maybe a bird, but he didn't remember birds being that big.

The other two stopped a few steps later when they realized he wasn't following and looked back at him strangely. 

George cleared his throat. "It's late. Maybe we should head back?" It was supposed to sound like a simple suggestion, but there was an edge to his voice that betrayed his real feelings. To compensate, he fidgeted with his collar and added, "Uh–Tommy and Tubbo are probably scared waiting all by themselves."

Sapnap reached his free hand up to rub the back of his neck. "Yeah," he cracked a smile, "Those two are a couple a' chickens. Prob'ly crying their eyes out right now." He chuckled like it was a joke, and in his mind it was, but it made Dream look away guiltily.

_Maybe leaving them alone wasn't a good idea…_

Before he could say anything, though, there was a loud rustling from the trees a few feet away. All three of them froze, staring in the direction It was too dark to make out exactly what it was, only that it was still and watching them from its place upon a thicker branch. The boys just stared for a moment in a mix of terror and confusion before Dream finally raised his sword, pointing the tip at the thing. It was only a stone weapon and it was already chipped and scratched from use. That, plus the way his hand trembled the slightest bit, didn't make for too intimidating of an image.

"Who–" his voice cracked and he cleared his throat, glancing between his two friends for support. "Who's there?"

Sapnap finally seemed to snap out of his shock and mimicked the way Dream held his sword. George already had his bow aimed at the creature, but his gaze was darting around for an escape route. 

There wasn't an answer at first, just shuffling. Then, something fell to the ground with a _thud_. The boys didn't move, but Sapnap's shoulders relaxed a little as his fear receded into confusion.

The thing that had fallen stood, brushed itself off, then stepped forward into the torchlight.

"Techno?" Dream frowned, his sword lowering. His brows furrowed in confusion. He didn't know Techno all that well, more just as someone who showed up in the village every now and then to take Tommy home and someone who he could spar with. He certainly didn't know him well enough to tell about their plan to sneak out. So why was the pink-haired boy out here?

"Hi, Dream." Techno gave a little wave, his gaze passing over the other two. They lowered their weapons as well, but he didn't acknowledge them.

"What are you doing out here?" George asked cautiously. "Did–"

"Where's Tommy?" Techno cut him off, stepping forward with purpose.

"What? Did he really rat us out?" Sapnap demanded. "He swore he wouldn't tell anyone!"

Techno glared at him, but didn't need to answer. There was a gasp from George and the other two whirled around to see someone else standing behind them. It was a man with blond hair barely contained beneath a green and white striped hat, looking down on them disapprovingly. Two big feathered things stuck out from his back, and Dream thought they were wings but he couldn't be sure and wasn't about to ask.

Now that he looked at him, Dream thought he recognized the man. The boy didn't see him around the village too often, but he was sure he'd seen him once or twice. It took him a moment, but a look back at Techno pushed the memory into place. This was probably the pink-haired boy's dad or something, though they definitely didn't look all that similar. He could remember the man coming to take Techno home after their first big fight.

And that meant that, by extension, he was Tommy's guardian as well.

_Uh oh._

"Tommy didn't 'rat you out', actually." The man said, "Parents notice when their kids just up and go missing at night, believe it or not. I'm sure yours have noticed by now, too." There was a pause, and the man looked around as if searching for someone. His eyes narrowed, then he focused back on Dream again. "Is it just the three of you? Where's Tommy?"

Dream glanced back at his friends. Sapnap still looked confused and a little freaked out, and George was avoiding eye contact with the man. That meant it was up to him to give the guy an answer.

He cleared his throat, suddenly very grateful for the mask obscuring his features. Sure, it was bulky, but at least the man couldn't see the way his eyes darted to the side.

"He's in the, uh, the abandoned village not that far that way." He pointed in the direction, trying to ignore the way Techno stiffened and the man's eyes on him, "It was clear when we left. I put up torches and everything. He's waiting with Tubbo."

"You three got Tubbo involved, too?" The man asked, though it was more of a disappointed statement than anything else. Anyone perceptive enough could see the way the wings on his back twitched impatiently and his shoulders tensed as he asked, "Did you at _least_ leave them with, I don't know, a sword?"

"...No." Dream mumbled, face hot with embarrassment. This whole thing sounded so much smarter in his head than it did now, especially when he was being faced with a disappointed adult and the only kid who could beat him in a fight staring him down. "We didn't bring extra swords. They've got torches, so I thought…"

Techno’s brows rose, unimpressed, though his hands fidgeted at his sides. “Really? You’re almost as old as me–you should know torches barely do anythin’.”

The man pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, but Dream could tell he was panicked by the way his gaze darted around as if he were already forming some kind of plan.

"Tech, you've got your sword?" He asked, glancing back at the pink-haired boy, who nodded.

“Yeah, Phil.” Techno reached back into what Dream recognized as one of the fancy sheathes that the weaponsmiths in the village sold (he’d been begging his own dad to get him one for months, but to no avail) and pulled out a sword. The blade glittered a rich yellow, the torchlight highlighting the dents and rolls of it’s edge, no doubt from training. It was a golden sword–how did Techno have a golden sword? Those were _expensive._

“Great.” The man–Phil–spared an uneasy glance up at the sky. The moon had risen by now, casting the forest in darkness that was barely bit back by the torch in Dream’s free hand. Then he fixed his gaze back on the three boys, and gestured in the direction of the abandoned village. “Well, lead the way. Techno and I’ll take care of this.” His eyes narrowed dangerously at them as they turned to walk, and the unspoken warning hung heavy in Dream’s mind.

_If anything happened to Tommy or Tubbo…_

He was tempted to apologize, but thought better of it and instead just picked up the pace retracing their steps back towards the village. Sapnap quickened his own pace to walk beside Dream, their shoulders touching. George did the same, though he kept a bit more distance and shot looks back at Techno and Phil every few steps.

"Who's that?" Sapnap whispered to him, looking uneasy. "I know Techno, but who's the other guy?"

"Were you even listening to them talk?" George replied before Dream had the chance, "That's Tommy's dad."

"Oh." Sapnap frowned, then thought for a moment before dropping his face into his hands. "Oh, we're _so screwed._ "

"You think? I told you this was a bad idea–"

"You went along with it, too, George, so–"

"Guys!" Dream interjected, shooting them both glares. "Stop fighting. We'll be fine, I–"

_"Help!"_

The shout barely reached his ears, but it was loud enough to make his blood run cold. The voice was familiar, but it still took a moment to register. When it did, Dream felt his heart drop to his stomach. He froze out of instinct and felt Sapnap stumble to a stop beside him. A glance back told him Phil and Techno heard it as well, but he couldn't read them beyond Phil's wide eyes.

George nudged his shoulder roughly. "Was that…?"

Techno gripped his sword tighter, his gaze darting from the trees to the man beside him. "Phil…?"

"Tommy." Phil's voice was tight and fearful. His wings fluttered, and his hand closed around a sword strapped to his waist. He drew it, the blade gleaming in the torchlight. "That's–That's Tommy." 

There was a split second of pause, then the man was taking off in the direction of the village. He gestured for the boys to follow behind and they did, although Techno was significantly faster than the other three. Dream was still battling the shock of the situation he'd created, and judging by the wide-eyed panic on George and Sapnap's faces, they felt the same.

The shouts continued, growing in volume as they approached the village. Dream narrowly avoided tripping over a tree root, George’s hand darting to his shoulder to keep him upright. His mind was racing, rushing through possibilities and praying that Tommy and Tubbo were only overreacting to a few mobs. Deep down he knew that wasn't true, though. Tommy wasn't the type to ask for help unless he had no other choice, he was impressively stubborn for an eight year old. If he was screaming for it the way he was now, it had to be something big.

And as they finally came to the break in trees surrounding the village, that fear was confirmed. 

Zombies stumbled between buildings and down pathways, a handful of skeletons rattled accompanied by the whizzing of their arrows through the air, and spiders hissed. It was a chorus of monsters, all orbiting around the fountain at the center of it all, where Dream could barely make out the two small figures peeking over the structure's roof.

Tommy was closest to the edge, still shouting. Tubbo was right beside him, though the little brunet was scanning the crowd. He must've noticed them a second later because Tubbo grabbed Tommy's shoulder and pointed their way, to which Tommy responded by waving his arms to catch their attention.

"That's–That's a lot of monsters." Sapnap mumbled, his eyes wide and his hand gripped too tight around his sword's handle. George was silent at Dream's side, one hand closed around the handle of his bow and the other clutching at Dream's shoulder. 

"Yeah. Yeah, it is." Dream agreed, but his voice was almost too quiet to hear over the noise of the mobs.

Phil seemed to have noticed the two waving for their attention, because he cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, "Hold tight, boys! We've got you!" He then turned to face the other three, "Techno and I can keep the mobs back. I need you to get the boys down, alright?" He was looking at all of them, but Dream couldn't help but feel like the words were directed his way. He nodded firmly, grip tightening around the handle of his own sword.

"What do we do once we've got them?" Sapnap asked, his gaze fixed on the two boys. His eyes were wide and his mouth curved into a nervous frown and Dream could easily tell how terrified he looked. That just made him feel worse.

Phil looked back at the scene for a moment, brows furrowed, then said, "Just get them down and yell to me when you do. Okay?"

Dream nodded, biting down hard on his lip. Okay, this was easy–all he needed to do was get to the fountain, get Tommy and Tubbo down, and they'd be golden. Then he could apologize and go home and sleep before the sun came up and everything would be fine.

Techno brandished his sword, gaze fixed on Tommy and Tubbo through the mobs in their path

"Well," he said, already crouching into a fighting position. Dream couldn't read his expression–he'd never been able to read Techno like he could read Sapnap or George–but there was an anticipation in the way he moved that told him he was at least anxious for the fight. "What're we waitin' for?"

\--

Tommy was so relieved he thought he wouldn’t be able to hold back his tears for much longer. Not only had Dream, George, and Sapnap heard his shouts, but Phil and Techno, too! The thought of how much trouble he was going to be in when he got home barely even crossed his mind as he brought a hand up to wipe the beginnings of tears from his eyes. Tubbo was already crying–Tommy could see the tear tracks running down his cheeks–but that was something he’d expected. _He_ wanted to be strong, he didn’t want the older boys to see how terrified he was even if he couldn’t control the way he cried out when Tubbo yanked him to the side to avoid an arrow fired their way.

He didn’t even wait for Tubbo to initiate further contact this time, just grabbing the brunet’s hand and squeezing. Of course Tubbo didn’t mind, but Tommy wouldn’t have cared if he did–he had more important things to be focusing on right now.

Dream was edging towards them, Sapnap close behind and George bringing up the rear. All three had their weapons drawn, Dream and Sapnap with their swords clutched tight and George with an arrow drawn back and ready to fire. They crept between buildings, ducking beneath hanging vines and crumbling eaves. Zombies stumbled past them, but none seemed to notice their presence, instead distracted by the two who’d begun fighting them off towards the entrance. 

Tommy’s gaze flicked over to Phil and Techno, the rigid fear in his features relaxing the slightest bit at the sight of the battle. The two moved smoothly and fiercely, as if the battle was choreographed rather than a fight for their lives. Almost effortless strikes on Phil’s part, his wings tucked in close to his back as he slashed and sliced approaching creatures, keeping them at arm’s distance with seemingly no trouble. Techno’s style was more spontaneous than Phil’s, but just as effective. His eyes flashed as he lunged for the mobs, his small size coming in handy as he ducked under an arrow and still managed to embed his sword in the gut of one zombie. Tommy was reminded not for the first time just as incredible his family was. He felt the sudden urge to climb down and help them, feeling useless just sitting up on the fountain’s roof waiting to be saved, but he took one look at Tubbo and decided that was a stupid idea. If he jumped down, so would Tubbo, and the brunet wasn’t very good in a fight. He’d get hurt, and that was the last thing Tommy wanted.

The blond managed to tear his eyes away from his family and instead look to Dream and the other two. They looked nervous–Sapnap and George’s unease was obvious, but Dream’s was clear in the way he kept adjusting his mask over his eyes. Tommy wondered why he even chose to wear it if it gave him so much trouble. It seemed more of a problem than anything, and it honestly looked kind of dumb. 

No. Now’s not the time to judge his rescuers. Plus, something bad must’ve happened, because suddenly Tubbo tensed and when Tommy turned to see his face his eyes were wide. He opened his mouth to shout.

“Dre– _mmf–_ ” 

Tommy slapped a hand over the brunet’s mouth to cut him off then pressed a finger to his own lips and shushed him. “Don’t yell! You’re gonna tell the monsters where they are!”

Tubbo stared at him for a moment, then seemed to snap out of the shock and point with a trembling hand at the trio.

And at the pair of zombies creeping up behind them.

“ _Dream!_ ” Tommy yelled, mimicking the way Tubbo pointed, though his own movements were far more desperate and probably would've knocked him off balance had Tubbo not grabbed his arm, “Behind you!”

Dream whirled around, as did his friends, and nearly tripped backwards. George was the first to react–maybe out of panic and maybe out of instinct, Tommy wasn't sure and honestly didn't care–releasing the string of his bow and sending an arrow flying straight into one of the monsters' head. The thing stopped, stumbled forward a few steps, then collapsed. Sapnap reacted next, thrusting his own sword out and stabbing right through the other zombie's chest. He watched, wide eyed, and the thing attempted to grip the blade one final time before going limp and sliding down off of it. The bandana-clad boy kicked the zombie once more for good measure, then looked around.

More creatures had noticed them by now, but the number's had dwindled greatly thanks to Phil and Techno, who'd killed quite a few. Dream glanced between his friends and Tommy and Tubbo, then pulled the former closer and said something Tommy couldn't quite make out. George and Sapnap nodded, albeit hesitantly, and both turned to face the next approaching monster.

Dream, however, turned and booked it towards the fountain. Tommy could hear his heartbeat in his ears and Tubbo's fingers digging into his arm as the brunet's grip tightened.

"Tommy! Tubbo!" The masked boy called when he was closer, "Hold on, I've got you–"

Dream lept at a running start to the edge of the fountain, grabbing one of the posts for stability. He reached up with his free hand, gesturing frantically for the two to climb down.

Tommy nudges Tubbo first, knowing that the brunet was far more ready to break down than he was. Tubbo swallows, nods, and leans down over the edge, wrapping his arms tightly around Dream's neck. Dream supported him, his free hand going around the brunet's waist as he quickly lowered him to the ground. Tubbo let go as soon as his feet touched solid ground, but he kept holding onto the bottom of Dream's shirt like it was a lifeline. The mobs were still distracted, so Dream reached up again for Tommy.

The blond cracked as soon as Dream's arm was around him, wrapping his own around the older boy's neck and blinking to try and deter the tears that ran down his cheeks. 

"You left us, Dream," He choked out, struggling to keep his voice from sounding whiney. He raised a hand to his eyes to wipe away the tears, because now wasn't the time to cry, but he couldn't help it. "We told you not to, 'n you didn't listen. I _told_ you."

Dream lowered him to the ground, but didn't fully let go. Guilt practically radiated off of him, and Tommy sniffled as the older boy gave both his and Tubbo's shoulders a squeeze.

"I'm sorry." Dream said, and he truly sounded it. "I'm so sorry, I didn't–I thought the torches would work. I didn't mean to put you guys in danger. I'm sorry."

There was a pause, then Tubbo patted Dream's arm gently and gave him a small smile through his tears. 

"It's okay, Dream. We know you didn't mean for the monsters t'come."

Tommy looked over at Tubbo, brows furrowed and still wiping at his tears with one hand. How was he so forgiving so quickly? Tommy himself wasn't even that mad, but he felt too scared to muster up a smile, so he just shrugged and looked away.

"Whatever." He mumbled. An arrow flew past them, pulling Tommy back into the moment. He heard a grunt as Techno plunged his sword through the space between a skeleton's ribs, throwing the thing to the side with a clank. The pink-haired boy's gaze snapped up to meet his, and Tommy resisted the urge to run straight to his big brother.

Phil cut down one last zombie, then turned to the three. "Are they okay?" He called, his eyes darting to Tommy, "Are you okay?"

Tommy only nodded. His cheek stung from where the arrow had grazed it earlier, and when he brought his hand up to touch the scratch it came away with a little blood on his fingertips. The sight made him frown, but he was still too full of adrenaline to be very bothered. Phil seemed to mind, though, from the way the man rushed over and crouched in front of him, cradling the blond's face in his hands with furrowed brows. His sword was forgotten at his side, a nearly black, thick liquid dribbling off the tip from where he'd stabbed it into attacking zombies. 

"You're cut." Phil said quietly, wiping the blood with one finger. "Does anything else hurt?"

Tommy opened his mouth to speak, then shook his head and shut it before he could even make a sound. He could feel the next wave of tears building at the corners of his eyes, threatening to spill over, and he sniffled. The adrenaline was starting to wear down now, and that paired with Phil's gentle concern was enough to shatter whatever was left of the I'm-not-a-crybaby front he was trying to uphold. Phil seemed to understand, and for that Tommy was more than grateful. The man pulled him into a tight hug and Tommy let himself break, grabbing fistfuls of fabric and burying his face in his shoulder. 

He felt Phil shift, then start speaking again, this time with his free hand carting through Tommy's hair comfortingly.

"Tubbo?" Phil asked, and Tommy heard the brunet hum to acknowledge it, "What about you? Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm–I'm okay." There was a pause, then a sniffle, and a significantly shakier addition, "I'm okay. My–my arm hurts a little, but, but I'm fine."

 _He's crying again_ , Tommy thought, but he wasn't judging. After all, he was bawling like a baby right now–buried in Phil's cloak like it was going to protect him from the terrors of the night.

"C'mere, son." Phil said softly. His hand left Tommy's hand and when the blond peeked up to see what was happening he watched as Phil wrapped his other arm around Tubbo and stood, carrying a boy on either side. Tommy reached over with one hand and grabbed Tubbo's, giving it a squeeze, and the brunet squeezed back with a small smile.

Techno had joined them by now, and he hovered near Tommy with an anxious expression. His sword was tucked back into its sheath again, but one hand still fidgeted with the handle. Dream, George, and Sapnap stood a few feet away, looking away from the familial display with what Tommy thought might've been ashamed frowns.

Phil looked up at the sky, then down at the two in his arms, and hummed thoughtfully.

"Looks like we aren't flying home." He mumbled. He looked down at the other boys, then gestured for them to start moving. 

"Let's go, everybody. Got a long walk ahead of us."

\--

The light from the village shining through the trees was a welcome sight to Phil. It was quiet now, and they'd been able to avoid encounters with many mobs by sticking to the well-lit path that extended a short ways from the village's entrance, and any mobs that had dared to attack the group were quickly taken care of by Techno. Phil wouldn't say right now, but watching the pink-haired boy fight with such ease made pride swell in his chest. He'd trained Techno well–soon enough, he'd surpass Phil's skill and more. The thought brought a smile to his tired face.

He led the boys into the village square, then stopped and turned back to face them. They stared up at him with varying levels of confusion and expectation, and he could see from the way Sapnap stifled a yawn that they were tired. That wasn't a surprise–it was well past midnight now, and the night's events held more action than he guessed they'd faced in a while. 

"What are you waiting for?" Phil asked, jerking his head to the side in the direction of a row of homes. "Run along home. Quietly, if you don't want to wake your parents."

George raised an eyebrow curiously. "You aren't going to tell?"

"No. If your parents haven't noticed, then I'm not gonna stir up trouble where I'm not needed." Phil shrugged, looking over the three, then added, "Plus, you boys look like you've learned your lesson, haven't you?" Phil couldn't help that his tone had held a twinge of disapproval–raising three kids did that to a person, especially when that person was talking to the kids who could've gotten his son seriously hurt.

There was quiet for a moment, and the three all seemed to shrink back a bit. Sapnap fidgeted with his sleeve awkwardly, and George seemed to hover somewhere between turning to leave and staying in place. Techno shuffled uncomfortably at his side, one hand holding firmly onto the fabric of Phil's cloak.

Then, Dream stepped forward, one hand nervously adjusting his mask. 

"I'm sorry, sir." He said quietly. "I didn't mean to um, to hurt anyone. I just wanted to look, I didn't think–I didn't think it was going to be dangerous. I'm sorry."

Phil sighed. The kid sounded genuinely apologetic, and he was too empathetic to stay upset. 

"It's alright, son. Everybody's okay, and that's what matters, right?" He smiled reassuringly, "Just–well, in the future, don't go so far at night, yeah? And bring an adult or something if you're going somewhere like that. And, y'know, maybe don't bring little kids along."

_Speaking of little kids…_

_Tommy's been quiet_ , he thought, and he glanced down at the two boys in his arms. 

_Oh._

They'd both fallen asleep. Tubbo dozed quietly against his chest, and Tommy snored softly with his chest testing on Phil's shoulder. He noticed, with a soft chuckle, and their hands were lightly intertwined. Of course they were asleep–it was way past their bedtimes, and they'd had more action than anyone else. 

"Thanks, sir." Dream muttered and turned towards the houses, George and Sapnap mumbling goodbyes and following close behind.

"Hey, Dream–wait, can you do something for me?"

Dream glanced back. "Yeah, of course. Uh, what do you need?"

He gestured down to Tubbo and smiled, "Could you take him home for me? Gotta get Tommy and Techno home and…"

_Oh, shit. Wilbur._

He'd completely forgotten about Wilbur. Gods, the poor kid was probably worried sick. Phil felt a pang of guilt, knowing that there was no chance he went to sleep since they were out so late. He needed to get back soon, otherwise Wil would be up all night stressing.

He passed the sleeping brunet to Dream, who awkwardly accepted and positioned the kid so his head was resting against his shoulder. Tubbo stirred slightly, but didn't wake, and Phil breathed a short sigh of relief.

"I'll get him home, don't worry." Dream said, and Phil nodded. The boy turned away, his two friends trailing behind, and gave a final, "Goodnight, sir. Thank you for not getting us in trouble."

"Yeah, yeah. No problem. Get some sleep, boys." Phil waved and watched the four disappear down the street towards a cluster of homes at the back. He was glad he'd gotten them all back safely, but now that the risk and stress of losing his youngest was out of the way the tiredness was really starting to set in.

Techno tugged on his cloak. The pink-haired boy yawned and rubbed his eyes, then mumbled, "Phil? Can we go home now?"

Phil looked down at his son and smiled softly. It had been one hell of a night, but he was more than ready to head home and sleep with the reassurance that his family was safe and sound.

"Yeah, bud." He ruffled the boy's hair with a chuckle. Techno didn't bother pushing him away, only yawning again. Phil bent down, letting the boy climb up and wrap his arms around his neck. He spread his wings wide and held Tommy closer to his chest. "Let's go home."

He beat his wings once, twice, and they were off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the wait! im pretty happy with how this came out, though, so i hope you enjoyed!  
> comments and kudos are super appreciated! i love hearing what people think, so if you've got thoughts feel free to let me know :)  
> might post some shorter snippets that arent ao3-worthy on my tumblr, so if you're interested in that you can find me at @tama-jam-a :)

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading :)  
> if you're enjoying it so far feel free to leave a comment lettin me know! they're super appreciated :D


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